


Tangled

by madmeridian



Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms, Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tangled (2010) Fusion, Eventual Romance, Kidnapping, M/M, Minor Violence, believe it or not, it’s basically all the same things that happen in tangled, listen i’m just tagging the bad stuff, yes you’re reading that correctly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:08:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27687377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madmeridian/pseuds/madmeridian
Summary: Near hasn’t left his tower once in his eighteen years, listening obediently to his mother’s warnings about the outside world. However, when she refuses to let him go out once for his birthday, he finds his own way out with an unlikely companion.
Relationships: Mello | Mihael Keehl/Near | Nate River
Comments: 57
Kudos: 50





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen i was too lazy to come up with a genuine title so that’s that on that
> 
> also this is just the prologue and the rest of the story will be written very differently. this is meant to be extremely vague.

It had been a blessing in disguise for her. She’d long since tired of growing old, looking in the mirror and seeing wrinkles and gray hairs. Then, she was lucky enough to find that flower, that beautiful flower growing out in the forest, waiting for her. 

Relief filled her when she sang to it. The aches in her bones lifted and she could feel the wrinkles on her face practically melt away. The flower brightened when it heard the song, glowing golden and radiant, like the sun, and turned her young once more. 

She visited it often, traveling far into the forest to reach it. Keeping herself beautiful and young was a priority and she needed the flower’s magic to do so. 

One dark, cold night, the guards came looking for it while she sang to it. Horses neighed in the distance and she heard shouting. 

Quickly, she hid the flower under the bush-like net she’d made for it. Then, drew up the hood of her cloak and ran to hide from the guards. 

She cursed when she turned and realized that she’d knocked the net off the flower. It was too late to go back and fix it. The knights saw it and dug it up, roots and all, taking it for themselves. She narrowed her eyes and watched as they took _her_ flower away. 

She asked around the village to hear what they’d done with it. Every person was rejoicing about it. The pregnant queen had fallen ill and the child was at risk. The flower was found to heal the mother and child, to ensure the future of the kingdom. She subtly sneered at their joy. The flower, her flower, had been stolen. 

And she would take what was rightfully hers. 

Under the cover of night, she found her way into the castle. It was well-guarded, but she had plenty of practice sneaking into places and more than a few tricks up her sleeve. They didn’t even notice her as she slipped by.

Finally, she found what she was looking for. The baby, a little boy, was sleeping in his crib. His hair was pure white and he was chubby, clearly well-taken care of. She carefully lifted her knife and sliced off a piece of his hair. Softly, she began to sing. 

Nothing. 

She dropped the piece of hair and opted to touch his head of snowy locks, trying that instead. It shined when she started singing and she felt the magic of the flower once more. 

That was that, then. 

She carefully plucked the little one out of his cradle, smiling at him. All hope hadn’t been lost, though she would have to work a little harder now that her blessing was an actual human being she would have to take care of. But she was quite willing, as long as she could stay young.

People had begun to notice her break-in, but she left as quickly as she’d come. Not a moment too soon, as the doors burst open and the parents came running in. She heard the people yelling inside the castle, wailing and crying for their prince. 

She was on the move nonstop to get home, energetic with excitement. The baby hadn’t woken up yet, curled against her chest. 

Leaning down to bury her face in his soft hair, she sang sweetly again, just to see it glow and feel its magic. 

“What shall I name you, little flower?” she murmured. The baby made a soft sound in his sleep and she kissed the top of his head. 

She mulled over it for a little while before settling on a name for her blessing. 

“Near.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m going to be honest with you all I deadass almost just put “it’s just Tangled” for the description. btw it’s not going to be 100% the same, esp with dialogue (I can’t see Near saying half the shit that Rapunzel does lmao) 
> 
> This idea came to my head a little bit ago, I just saw Near’s long hair and was like... hmmm yes, a tangled au. So here I am, writing a self-indulgent fic :) 
> 
> anyway, all of the future chapters are much longer and much more like my normal writing, so if this seemed kinda eh, pls don’t worry, it’ll be much better 🥺 also I never explicitly state who “she” is since she’s referred to only as Near’s mother, but you can guess by the character tags (I swear I don’t hate her, I actually love her a lot, but I didn’t know who else could equal as Gothel) 
> 
> thanks for reading! any kudos/comments are appreciated <3


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen listen when I said that I made questionable choices, this is where that begins
> 
> (this isn’t beta’d so if there’s mistakes then oops)

_Any minute now…_

Near kept his eyes out the window constantly, on the lookout for Mother to come home. He’d cleaned everything, hidden all of his toys and art, and even baked a little. Mother was always a bit snobby when she came home, so Near always did his best to please her as much as possible. Give her little to complain about. 

And perhaps, he was trying to butter her up so he could make his birthday request. 

It had been a lonely eighteen years in the tower and he’d never been out once in his entire life there. All Near wanted was for her to take him out on his birthday so he could see the odd lights that always appeared that night. It really was a simple request, but she was so overprotective. 

Even as a child, she’d never let him even stick her head out, not even for a moment. He’d always asked her why he couldn’t go out and she’d always give him some long excuse about the dangers of the world and how he needed to be protected. 

But, Near was an adult now. He was old enough to go out, especially if Mother was with him to help him get out there.

Still, he didn’t think that she’d let him out, but it was worth a try. The worst she would do was say no, but Near held out hope that perhaps she’d give in to him for once. 

Well, if she ever got home. Near tapped his fingers impatiently against the windowsill, waiting for her. 

She always took her time getting home. Eventually, he saw her figure come into view of the tower. Immediately, he threw his hair down for her. The weight was always uncomfortable, but there was no other way up or down. The entrance and the stairs down were all completely boarded up. 

“Near, sweetheart,” she said sweetly, cupping his face as soon as she got up. “How are you?”

“I’m oka-”

“Come on, flower, I’m feeling a bit off. Sing for me.” 

Near reluctantly grabbed the brush and his stool as Mother sat down in her plush armchair. He sang for her quietly as she brushed, wishing she would hurry. His incredibly long hair reached all around the tower, lighting everything up with its glow. 

The little gray showing in Mother’s hair begins to disappear, darkening into the black the rest of her hair was. Her wrinkles began to smooth out. By the time they’re almost done, she looks years younger.

“Near, don’t look so sad,” Mother sniffed. “You’re ruining your singing like that.” 

“I’m sorry, Mother,” Near said. “I wanted to ask you something-”

“Oh, I was thinking about what we could do for your birthday, flower.” 

“That’s what I was going to ask you about.” Near tried to hide how irritable he was at her interruptions. Realistically, he should be used to it, but he still found it annoying. 

“What is it?” Mother asked, running her fingers through his hair. 

“I wanted to ask you for something specific for my birthday.” 

“Very well, what is it?” Mother crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. Near took a deep breath and looked her in the eye, trying not to flinch away. 

“I would like you to take me to the lights on my birthday.” 

Mother blinked at him, then she scowled. Near held his ground, holding her gaze as well as he could. This was a challenge to her, but Near hoped that seeing his resolve would weaken hers. 

“Now darling, you know it isn’t safe.”

“But you’ll be with me,” Near argued. “I’ll be safe with you, won’t I?”

“I can’t guarantee that,” Mother said, brushing a strand of Near’s hair off his forehead. “Sweetheart, you don’t know what’s out there. Ruffians, thugs, all sorts of bad people. Not to mention all sorts of natural dangers, poison ivy, quicksand, the like. ” 

“I’m going to be eighteen, Mother.” Near begged. “Please, just one time.” 

“Trust me, the lights aren’t worth it.” 

“How do you know I’ll think that?” Near huffed. “Maybe I’ll like them.” 

“You aren’t leaving the tower, Near.” 

“But Mother-”

“You aren’t leaving this tower!” Mother snapped. “That’s final, Near.” 

Near curled his arms around himself. This wasn’t fair. He was old enough to go out with her, even just once. He didn’t want to just be stuck here forever, without having gone out before. 

“I don’t mean to be the bad guy,” Mother said. “Just trust me, flower.” 

Near nodded slowly. He wasn’t going to get anywhere with her and she was trying to guilt him for it. 

“I’ll make your favorite for your birthday dinner.” Mother stood up. “I’ll have to go out and get the ingredients, but I’ll be back by tonight.” 

“Thank you,” Near said quietly. 

Mother was quiet for a moment, as if contemplating what she was going to do about his mood. Near knew her go-to was just to tell him to stop moping. Instead, though, she hugged him. Near allowed it, though her touch wasn’t his favorite thing, and never had been as far as he remembered. 

“I love you, my flower.” Mother kissed his forehead. 

“I love you too.” 

Near watched as she lowered down to the ground using his hair and then left the clearing around the tower. She turned to wave and Near faked a smile, waving back. 

He hoped that maybe he could change her mind once she came back. He _needed_ to see the lights.

* * *

Mello smirked as he crawled down the wall. The crown of the lost prince was just sitting there on a pedestal. No glass surrounding it. 

It was practically begging to be stolen. 

The guards didn’t even notice him slowly inching down to grab it. _Idiots…_ For a supposedly well-protected castle… well it wasn’t that well-protected to anyone who bothered to try.

His fingers just brushed the crown and he took it lightly, slipping it into his satchel. Frankly, it was too easy. Even someone as pathetic as Higuchi could steal it themselves. Still, Mello was willing to get it for the money he was being offered to steal it. 

Mello scaled back up the wall quietly. The guards still hadn’t noticed that he’d even been there. 

Then, one of Higuchi’s minions accompanying him fucking _sneezed_. Right when he was about to get away scot-free. The guards below shouted, but Mello already pulled himself out of the building and back onto the roof. The top of the castle had a lovely view of the kingdom, but none of them had any time to enjoy it. 

“Run, idiots,” Mello yelled at the two henchmen with him. They all sprinted across the rooftops of the kingdom. The guards were on horses and were faster, but the three of them weren’t dumb enough to take routes that horses could follow. 

Well, Mello wasn’t dumb enough. The other two were just following him. 

Soon, they had a whole mob of guardsmen trailing them out of the kingdom. The Captain of the Guard, Light Yagami, was familiar to him and led the pack. They’d been face to face several times, and Mello had slipped through his finger each time. 

The only ace in the hold Light had was his little prodigy, some kid named Matt. He wasn’t as clever as Light was, nor as strong, but somehow he was incredibly good at reading Mello and following his movements. Mello wasn’t sure what sort of weird read the dude had on him, but he was constantly on Mello’s tail. Really, he was more of a nuisance than Light, and that was saying something.

That being said, the only one who’d been able to keep up with the three of them in the forest was Matt. The hoof beats of the rest of the guard were further away, but they followed too. 

Mello cursed when they reached a ledge too high up to reach. They didn’t have time to reroute. Knowing the guard, they’d be on them in seconds. 

“Give me a boost.” 

“Give us the satchel,” one of the minions growled. At least they weren’t dumb enough to trust him. He sighed and handed over the satchel. He could hear hoofbeats getting closer and knew they didn’t have much time. 

Mello climbed on their shoulders and pulled himself up the ledge. Subtly grabbing the satchel right from around the minion’s neck. _Oldest trick in the book. Then again, these guys aren’t exactly scholars._

“Now us.” 

“Sorry, boys, but I’ve got what I want right here,” Mello said, holding out the satchel. There wasn’t a way for them all to make it up in time and Mello was quite willing to sacrifice these two. Even without Higuchi’s offer, he could sell this crown for a fortune to another buyer. 

He heard them curse and howl as he ran off with the satchel. Part of him was satisfied to be rid of those meatheads. They really were awful to work with. 

“Stop!” 

_Shit..._

Mello looked behind him, never stopping. At least Matt had gotten off his damn horse to chase him. He looked back every so often to see if the redhead was still following him. Mello had to give it to him, the guy was persistent. Mello was almost beginning to worry he would really be caught.

Then he tripped. Just his luck.

Mello rolled down a rather steep hill, clutching on to the satchel. As soon as he was at the bottom, he frantically searched for a place to hide. He settled on hiding behind a wall of vines. There was some sort of entrance to a cave behind it, so he stayed there quietly, waiting to see if Matt would come looking. 

Matt fell down the hill too, at least. He searched around for Mello, looking for tracks or something to follow, and then threw his sword down, cursing. He waited around for another few minutes before disappearing completely. 

Mello sighed in relief and took a few steps back into the cave. There was light on the other side, so it was a…tunnel, actually. 

Curiosity got the better of him. The other side was a clearing with a massive tower in the center. Mello sized it up, crossing his arms. It sure looked abandoned. _Could be a good hideout for a bit…_

He took the knives he had with them and used them to climb up. It was stupid and risky, but Mello needed a place to hide if Matt was still in the area. Mello was well acquainted with this forest and even he hadn’t known this was here. 

The top of the tower took a while to reach, but if it was safe, Mello figured it was worth the work. It was dark inside, but it wasn’t dusty. _Maybe not as abandoned as I thought._

He ran his fingers over what looked like some sort of painting on the wall. It looked like a painting of a small boy and a woman smiling and holding hands. Similar to one that a child would draw and proudly show their parents.

Mello whipped around when he heard a slight shuffling behind him, but was greeted with a face full of cold metal and promptly fell on the ground, unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen okay okay hear me out guys I know my “casting” choices are weird, but it works out trust me on this one okay? Have I ever disappointed you guys before? Just bear with me on this one okay guys. 
> 
> Uhhhh anyway another chapter for you beautiful people. I hope you liked it. Idk when the next one will be out (it’s a guessing game with my ups and downs of motivation) but yeah also mello and near interaction next chapter so look forward to that. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Any kudos/comments are appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DIDN'T MEAN TO NOT UPDATE FOR A MONTH I'M SO SORRY
> 
> pls enjoy <3

Near stared down at the unconscious man before him. He did look intimidating, scary even, as Mother had told him people were. There was a scar across his face and dozens of other ones on him too. _He must fight a lot of people then. Dangerous..._

Near just counted his blessings that the man hadn’t noticed him creeping up with the pan in his hands. He didn’t want to know what would happen if he had to fight someone head on, but it was quite easy when he could sneak up on them like that. 

Near dragged the man across the room. He was heavy, but Near was able to drag him in a corner and cover him with a blanket. That would have to do for now. The man likely wouldn’t be awake for a while now anyway. He had been hit rather hard.

After he’d done so, finally able to look at his work, the reality of what he’d done began to settle in, a feeling of excitement running through him. This was the perfect proof to show Mother he was capable of going out. He’d protect himself against a stranger, even without her. If he could protect himself all on his own, surely he’d be safe enough with Mother there too. 

Surely she wouldn’t be able to say no to him now.

Near paced around the tower, unusually impatient. This was his ticket out and he couldn’t wait for Mother to get home. He’d wanted to go see the lights so desperately and this was finally his chance to. 

It was almost perfect, the timing of this man entering his tower. 

As soon as he heard Mother call out his name, he rushed to the window, throwing his hair down and pulling her up as fast as he could. Normally he wasn’t so energetic like this, but he wanted to show her what he’d done, to show her undeniable proof that he was strong enough to go. 

“Hello, darling.”

“Mother, I have a-”

“I’ve gotten all the ingredients for your birthday dinner. It was a nightmare out there, the guards are crawling all about for a thief of some sort.” 

“I have a surprise for you,” Near said slowly, backing towards the unconscious man. Mother blinked at him, as if just realizing he was there. She sighed deeply at him, crossing her arms.

“What is it?” 

“So you know how you said about my birthday, how it was too dangerous to go out?” 

“It is,” Mother snapped, expression cold and stern. “We aren’t talking about this anymore, flower. I told you that.” 

“But if you’d just-“

“Near!” Mother grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to look her in the eye. It made him uncomfortable, scared, the way she exploded at him. “Get it through your head. You aren’t leaving this tower, ever! And you will not speak of it any longer, is that clear?” 

Near stared up at her blankly. He didn’t know why he was even trying anymore, really. 

He was never leaving. 

Nothing would ever change her mind.

“I was just going to ask if you could get me some more white paint,” Near murmured. “Since I can’t go out and get it myself.” 

Mother let out a deep breath, calmer, though Near could feel anger beneath it all.

“That’s a long trip for me to get what you need to make it.”

“I thought it was a better idea than going out to see the lights.” 

Mother looked him over for a second before nodding her head and hugging him. Near flinched, but hugged back, silent. 

“Very well, I’ll go get it for you. I’ll be back in three days, at most.” 

Near waved goodbye as she left, bitter hopelessness welling up in his chest. She hadn’t even bothered listening to him. When she was out of sight, he turned to the unconscious man that was still snoozing away in the corner.

Now, what to do with him…

He plucked the bag off of the man’s shoulder. There wasn’t much inside other than a few wanted papers and a crown. Near picked up the crown and examined it. It looked real and it was rather pretty. 

He put it on curiously, just to see what it was like. It looked odd on him when he looked at himself in the mirror. 

Quickly, he took it off and shoved it back into the bag, feeling conflicted about what he’d just done. He wasn’t sure why it bothered him so much. It was just a crown. Then again, it wasn’t his. Though, judging by the wanted posters, it wasn’t this man’s either.

For a moment, he wondered where this man might be from. What he had seen and done and lived like. Near was certain it was probably a far different life than his own. This guy was likely the thief Mother had mentioned and was probably there to try and steal Near’s hair. And, if the man truly was a thief, he probably knew the area and forest well and was free to run around and do as he pleased.

Then, a thought struck Near and he almost let himself smile. 

_My ticket out of here…_

Quickly, he slipped the bag under one of the loose floorboards of the stairs up to his room, figuring it was good enough of a hiding spot for now.

Near pulled out a chair from his table and dragged the man onto it. It took more work than simply dragging him across the room, but Near was still able to do it. Near got to work tying him to the chair, making sure that he couldn’t break free.

All he had to do was just to wait for the man to wake up and convince him.

* * *

Mello blinked awake, squinting his eyes. The tower was still dark and he couldn’t see anything. 

He moved to look around, but realized he was tied to a chair…with hair? That’s what he was assuming it was. It was white, oddly enough. He tried to pull at it, but it held him tight.

“Why did you come here?” 

Mello squinted and tried to find where that voice was coming from. It didn’t sound particularly confident. In fact, it was quiet enough that Mello almost couldn’t hear it. It was hard to tell if it was normal or from fear. 

Mello figured that was reasonable if the person were scared, considering a stranger had just climbed up their tower and entered it. 

“I thought the tower was abandoned,” he answered, hoping honesty would save his ass this time around. “I was running from some people and I was going to hide here. I’ll leave if you just let me go.” 

“You’re lying.” Mello could just barely see the figure of the person moving in the dark. “I know why you came here.” 

“I’m not lying, asshole,” Mello snapped. “Let me go.” 

He strained against his bonds. Then he realized that something was missing. A string of curses fell from his mouth and he fought against his makeshift restraints.

“Where’s my satchel, you fucker?” 

“I’ve hidden it.”

“Son of a bitch. Just give it back and let me go.” 

There was no response for a second and Mello nearly thought that the person had left, but he was surprised when a young man crept out of the shadows and into the light. He had the same white hair that was holding Mello in the chair. Now that Mello could see him, he realized that it _was_ the man’s hair. It was incredibly long and Mello might’ve been impressed if he wasn’t pissed off.

“I will give it back once you’ve done what I want you to.” 

Mello froze, looking up at him. What was that supposed to mean?

“And what would that be?” 

“I want you to take me to see the floating lights,” his captor said, crossing his arms. “I need someone to escort me because I’ve never been outside before. When you’ve returned me home safely after seeing them, I will return your bag.” 

Mello frowned. The floating lights? He’d also gotten stuck on the fact the guy hadn’t been outside before. _What kind of fucked up situation is this?_

“Listen here you little shithead-”

“My name is Near.” 

“Fine, Near,” Mello said through gritted teeth. “I don’t know what game you’re playing at, or why the fuck you want _me_ to take you outta here, but it isn’t gonna happen. Give me back my bag and let me out.” 

Near crossed his arms, looking at Mello petulantly. Mello needed to get his damn bag and get that crown out of his hands. Having it put him at a risk and he just wanted the money for it already. 

But the boy didn’t seem to be wavering at all. Mello sighed in defeat, figuring it was a small enough task to get his damn bag back. 

“Fine,” he grunted. 

Near just smiled, a smug one that only served to piss Mello off more, and began to untie him from the chair. 

“Are you going to tell me your name?” Near asked when he was done. Mello stood up and stretched, glaring down at him. Near stared back, unfazed. 

“It’s Mello,” he grumbled. Near stuck his hand out, in an awkward attempt to be friendly. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Mello,” Near said formally. Mello just sighed and shook his hand, already regretting that he agreed to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyway somehow a month went by and i didn't update but here I am (to be fair, I've been running an exchange, so that's my excuse) also I know I promised I'd get those last requests done but I hit a bit of writer's block for one (it'll be out soon tho! idk when soon is, but soon) I happened to noticed that I hadn't posted in a bit so I polished this chapter up and posted it!
> 
> (also thank you for all the "matt as the horse" comments last chapter they made me laugh, I promise he'll be back next chapter)
> 
> anyway! fun chapter! Mello and Near interacted! yay! I don't have much else to say on this one tbh but yeah, hopefully the next one won't be as long of a wait 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Any kudos/comments are appreciated


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

Near opted to descend the tower using his hair, but Mello decided to use his knives again. Mello had already made it all the way down the tower, while Near was still standing on his windowsill, eyeing the ground nervously. Mello looked up at him, squinting against the sunlight. 

“You coming?” Mello shouted. He saw Near nod barely and then begin to lower himself down. Mello wasn’t sure how well he was going to deal with this dude, considering how slow and cautious he was with everything. The opposite of Mello’s way of doing things. But it was only for a little bit and then he'd be off with his prize. 

“I’ve never touched the grass before,” Near murmured when he finally made it to the ground. He tentatively put a foot on the grass, and then the other.

Mello didn’t know what to say to that. Sure, he believed that the guy probably hadn’t left this clearing, but the actual tower itself? He'd really never been outside?

It was probably the most depressing thing Mello had ever heard.

“Let’s get moving,” Mello said. “We’ve got a lot of walking ahead of us.” The quicker this was over with, the better. If anyone saw him, he'd be dead before he even got the crown back.

Unfortunately, Near didn’t seem to want to hurry at all. He stopped for anything and everything, just because he hadn’t seen any of it before. Hell, he spent ten minutes just touching the leaves on a tree because he’d never seen a real tree up close before. 

Mello didn’t rush him though. From what Near had told him, after this, he’d just go back to his tower and never go out again. 

It almost made him want to keep Near from ever going back. 

That was a ridiculous notion though. Mello had his own ass to protect and anyone would be safer without the presence of a wanted criminal. 

So, Mello waited patiently for Near to fully explore whatever he wanted. It was the least he could do. While Near looked around to observe everything, he tried to stay close, but also tried to keep an eye out for any sign of guards. The bastards would be crawling around the forest, no doubt.

“There’s something in the bushes,” Near said, rushing up to hide behind him. “I don’t know what it is.” Mello glanced over at the bushes. They were barely moving, but there was certainly nothing big there. 

“I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about. Come here.” Mello dragged Near over to the bushes and rustled them around a bit. A small rabbit hopped off, frightened by the noise. “It was just a bunny.” 

“I’ve never been out before, how should I know?”

Mello began to walk again, Near’s hand still wrapped tight around his arm. _At least we're actually moving now..._

“You’re awfully jumpy, aren’t you? Are you really sure that you want to go?” 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Near scowl a little at him. 

“I have to. I’ve never been out to see these lights and this is my only chance.” 

“Why won’t your mom take you?” 

Near had mentioned his mother more than once. Mello thought she sounded like an uptight bitch, but he supposed he wasn’t a good judge of parents, considering he didn't have any.

“She’s protective,” Near said. “She worries about me all the time and she just doesn’t want me hurt.” 

“She sounds _too_ protective.” Mello scoffs, “actually, scratch that, she sounds like a fucking nightmare.” 

“I wouldn’t know. You’re the first person I’ve met, other than her.” 

Mello stopped walking and looked over at him, disbelieving. Near just stared back blankly, as if it were common to only have met two people in your whole fucking life.

“You’re not serious. How old are you?” 

“I turn eighteen tomorrow. What’s the big deal?” 

“That’s not normal for you to be so isolated. That’s fucked up, seriously.” 

Near pulled at his sleeve a little to get him to keep walking. Mello was now seriously considering never taking him back to that tower, regardless of whatever danger. He couldn’t blame the mother for wanting to protect her son, but never going outside or meeting anyone? There was a line between protecting someone and isolating them. 

_There has to be more to this, but..._

Mello didn’t really want to ask about Near’s home life anymore. He had a feeling the more he asked, the more terrible shit he’d dig up. 

“Do you have anything to eat? I’m starving," Near said, breaking Mello out of his thoughts.

“I don’t have anything, but I know a place nearby we can eat,” Mello said, biting his lip. It probably wasn’t the best place to take someone who’d never been out before, but there wasn’t really anywhere else to go. 

Near nodded and continued along, oblivious to Mello’s hesitation. This wasn’t necessarily a good idea, but… at least Near would get a glimpse of the real world before setting foot in the kingdom.

“Right up here,” Mello said, pointing down the path leading to the pub. It was run down, but the sign reading 'The Snuggly Duckling' made it a little less intimidating. 

“The Snuggly Duckling?” Near asked, crossing his arms. 

“They’ve got good food.” Mello shrugged. “I am gonna warn you though, the people are a little… crude, shall we say?” 

“What does that mean?” Near asked, shuffling a few steps away from the building. 

“Just that they might not be what you’re used to,” Mello reassured, throwing an arm around his shoulder and forcing him to walk towards the building. “I promise, you won’t get hurt.” 

Near reluctantly let Mello lead him in. Mello heard him suck in a breath when they walked in as every person in the pub looked at them. Each of them was intimidating in their own right, though most of them were large and burly. 

“Thugs,” Near hissed under his breath. 

“They’re not all bad,” Mello reassured. 

Every eye was on them as they walked further in. Mello knew that this probably wasn’t a good idea since he was all over on wanted posters, but he hoped that they’d remember all that he had done for him in the past. 

“You’ve got a lot of balls coming in here, Keehl.” Mello winced at the sound of Rod’s voice. 

“Just came by for a quick bite, Rod,” Mello said, keeping his tone friendly. “We won’t stick around long.” 

“No, you won’t,” Rod agreed. “Jack, go get the guards. We’ll all split the reward. They’re asking a high price for you.” Mello scowled at Jack as he left the pub. 

“What’s he talking about?” Near asked quietly, drawing Mello's attention with a tug on his sleeve.

“It’s a long story,” Mello muttered back. “But to make it short, I’m a wanted criminal and there's quite the reward for my capture.” 

“What?” Near gave him a scandalized look, then turned to Rod. “You can’t turn him in.”

“Why not?” Rod asked, his teeth bared. 

“He has to take me to see the lights for my birthday,” Near argued. “It’s my dream and has been since I was little. Haven’t you ever had one?”

Rod wasn’t used to people talking back to him so freely and looked a bit taken aback at Near’s forwardness.

“Yes, I suppose.” 

“And how would you feel if someone came along and crushed it? Are you really going to do that to me? You can have him arrested after he takes me, can't you?”

"Hey!" Mello protested. But, the rest of the pub mumbled among themselves, frowning and almost… unsure. _These fuckers are really gonna not turn me in because of Near? Well, I guess I might do the same if I were in their shoes._

“We can’t do that, boss,” one of the thugs spoke up. “He looks kinda rich. What if he comes back for revenge?” 

Everyone around him nodded sagely, as if it were an actual possibility. Sure, Near’s clothes weren’t necessarily bad, but he wasn’t even wearing shoes and his hair was literally dragging on the floor. He didn’t look rich at all. It was totally bullshit, but no one argued it.

“Well, I guess at least until you’re done with him, we’ll hold off,” Rod said after a moment, nodding his head. 

Mello stared in disbelief. Really, every person in this damn pub was just going to go along with this because they were too soft to crush a kid’s dream?

He couldn’t believe Near had even called them thugs. They weren’t even scary enough for that. 

Mello sighed and flopped down on a stool as Near eagerly began to talk to them all, so he could get to know more people. 

...This was going to be a long trip.

* * *

Matt rode along, trying to follow Mello’s tracks. He’d lost him back at the hill, but found footsteps nearby it after searching for a while. It was tedious, trying to track someone this clever. Honestly, Light should be doing it himself. 

But Matt was loyal and did his job, so he searched on and on, riding through the forest alone.

The only other person he'd run into as he followed the tracks was young woman, walking alone. She had gasped and back away upon seeing him. 

“Sorry, ma’am, didn’t mean to frighten you,” he said. “Have you seen a blond man running through here? He’s a criminal I’m trying to track.”

“I haven’t,” she responded, dusting herself off haughtily. Then her head snapped up. “You said he was in this area?” 

“Yes. Please be careful and don't talk to him if you see him.” 

The woman let out a worried sound and began to hurry away, running towards where he’d come from. Matt just went back to following Mello’s tracks. She probably had some valuables she didn’t want stolen. Matt brushed it off and kept riding.

The tracks led him through the forest, going in all sorts of odd directions, but leading to the kingdom all the same. After a hours of searching, Matt was relieved to see a pub up ahead where the tracks seemed to lead. 

And better yet, the rest of the guard was there too, some mulling outside. 

Oddly enough, the woman he’d seen in the forest was looking into the pub from the outside, but Matt just brushed it off. As long as she wasn’t in the way, everything was fine. 

“Matt, in here!” Light barked. Matt sighed and shuffled in. The men inside were all shifting about nervously, hiding something. With the rest of the guard was the two burly men they’d captured earlier, the ones that had been with Mello. The other thugs in the restaurant wouldn’t look anyone in the eyes, not even those other two. 

He wondered how much Mello had bribed them to stay quiet. 

“They claimed Mello was in here,” Light said, crossing his arms and surveying the room. “But now they won’t give him up.” 

Matt watched each of their faces and saw more than one person glancing behind the bar. He slowly made his way over to see what could be over there. 

Three levers were there. The other two did nothing, but when he carefully pulled the one with the duck on it, an entrance swung open. A secret tunnel. 

“Let’s go,” Light barked. “They won’t get far.” 

Matt drew his sword and climbed down with the rest of the guards, running as fast as he could. This was his chance to finally get Mello once and for all. Voices echoed up ahead, as well as a light that gave away their position. He grinned when he saw Mello and some other guy running away from them as fast as they could. The other guards ran ahead to try and get Mello themselves.

They emerged at the end of the tunnel, but it was a dead end, a cliff that led off to a pit. Matt saw that the other guy was slowly descending using part of the dam that was nearby, but that wasn't his concern. He had one target. 

Mello had his knives drawn and had knocked all of the other guards unconscious already. Matt nearly wanted to ask him where he learned to fight, because clearly, he was pretty good. 

Still, Matt hoped Mello wasn’t as good as he was. 

He lunged forward, sword in hand. Mello blocked it well with the knife, seeing him coming. Mello scoffed at him and traded quick, precise blows. Both of them were easily matched, but Matt saw and opening and-

Mello’s knife went tumbling over the edge of the cliff. 

“Can we call it a draw?” Mello said nervously, raising his hands in surrender. 

“Mello!” 

Matt swore when he saw that Mello’s little friend had been able to push a beam close enough for Mello to slide down, escaping capture. Beneath, the two thugs that the guard had captured emerged from another tunnel, chasing after Mello and the kid. 

He also saw that the moved beam had knocked several others over and was catastrophically destroying the structures holding the dam back. Mello and the kid sprinted across the chasm, trying to escape the falling debris everywhere. 

“Jesus fuck,” Matt muttered, watching them just barely escape being crushed by running into a cave. The two thugs that had escaped weren’t so lucky and were washed away somewhere else by the rapids flowing from the dam. Matt wasn’t worried. They’d be captured again in no time.

His concern was Mello and his apparent accomplice. Part of him wanted them to survive, even if it was so he could catch them himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay okay I'm a dirty liar I had one more thing to post before my classes start. I decided to edit this up real quick and get it out, mostly to distract myself from all the shit I have to actually do :( not that this really helped anyway because every time I go back and read something I wrote I regret it instantly, but here we are.
> 
> also yes the thugs are the mafia and I made them nicer because it's a this is a fusion with a Disney movie and I can. and pls don't judge me I don't think I'm very good at action scenes but I really tried for the last half of this, okay? I threw in Matt's pov for fun, too. He doesn't narrate much else but I thought it would be nice to add but idk
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

Mello hit the sides of the caves in anger. The entrance was blocked in by the debris from the dam, but water was quickly filling in through the cracks. If they didn’t find a way out... well...

Mello dove beneath the surface to see if there were any exits underneath the water. Near continued searching the walls and opening for one, pushing against the rocks to see if they would give way. Everything below the water was dark, nearly pitch black. Mello blindly reached out to push against the walls. 

Nothing. 

Near tried diving beneath the surface too, frantic, but Mello pulled him back up. 

"It's no use," Mello said, grabbing his shoulders. "We're trapped and it's too dark to see anything." 

"There has to be a way out," Near responded, blinking water out of his eyes. “There has to be.” 

Mello shook his head and slumped against the wall as the cave slowly filled up with water. They were going to drown. They were going to die. 

"I'm sorry I dragged you along to this, Mello," Near said after a minute. Mello didn’t respond, only the sound of trickling water slowly sealing their fate. 

"My name's actually Mihael," Mello said finally. “I never went by it, but I guess someone ought to know before I die. It’s my secret." 

"I was keeping a secret from you too. I have magic glowing hair," Near admitted. Mello frowned at him, thinking that Near was making fun of him. Near’s eyes widen with some sort of realization he didn’t understand, the water brushing at his chin now.

He heard Near begin to sing and wondered why this was the way he was dying, trapped in a cave with someone he was now completely convinced was probably off his rocker. Near was cut off by the water reaching nearly the top of the cave, submerging them both completely. Then Mello nearly swallowed a mouthful of water as he opened his mouth in shock. 

Near did have fucking magical glowing hair. 

It lit up the cave with an eerie, ghostly glow. Mello wasn't sure what to do, how to react to that, but then he saw it being pulled at a crack in the rocks. He could be shocked later, if he actually survived this. 

He swam closer and pulled away at the rocks as fast as he could. Near tried to help, both of them clawing to get out. Mello was feeling awfully dizzy and everything felt blurry, but he kept pulling at the rocks. Hell, even the deep cuts he was getting on his hands from it all wasn't enough to stop him.

Finally, they gave way. He and Near tumbled out of the cave right into a river. Mello swam towards the surface and took a huge breath, coughing a little. Near popped up not to far away, splashing towards the edge of the river. Mello did the same, swimming to the bank and pulling himself out. Near crawled up next to him and laid down next to him. 

"We did it," Near breathed. 

"You have fucking glowing hair," Mello choked out, staring at him. "What the actual fuck?" 

"It doesn't just glow." Near stood up on shaky legs and wrung out some water from his hair. 

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" 

"We should make camp," Near said. "Then I'll explain, I promise." 

"Yeah, okay," Mello muttered under his breath. "I've got magic glowing hair that does other stuff, but I'm not telling you. Fuck off." 

Near looked disgruntled, but said nothing and began to gather some kindling. Mello just joined him, shaking his head. Eventually, they did get a good fire going and were able to dry off their clothes for the most part. The spot wasn't really the best, but neither of them were in the mood to keep walking. 

"So about your hair..." Mello waited for Near to say something. He still had no clue what else it could possibly do, but at this point, he assumed anything was on the table. 

"Give me your hand," Near said, holding his own out. Mello looked at him skeptically, but held out his hand, which was covered in nasty scratches from the cave. 

Near took his hair and wrapped it carefully around Mello's hand. Mello wasn't sure what the hell was about to happen, but he supposed he'd give Near the benefit of the doubt. He had gotten them out of the cave and saved Mello’s life, basically. 

"Promise you won't freak out," Near asked, glancing up at him. 

"I'll do my best," Mello grunted. 

Near nodded and then began to sing. He started out quiet, but his voice got clearer and stronger. His hair began to glow again, including that around Mello's hand. Mello felt warmth spread throughout his palm from the hair. 

When Near was done, he removed the hair. Mello's palm was now devoid of any cuts, smooth as it had been before. Like nothing had ever happened. Mello couldn't do anything but gape at it. _What the actual fuck?_

"That's why my mother wanted to protect me," Near explained when Mello said nothing. "So that people couldn't take advantage of my power." 

"Uh huh," Mello said, feeling absolutely dumbfounded. "And how long have you had this?" 

"My whole life," Near answered, curling a strand around one finger. "Someone tried to cut my hair when I was a baby and found out that the power went away when it was cut. She was scared that people would try to steal me..." 

"So you never left the tower," Mello finished for him, when it seemed like Near was lost in thought. Near just nodded sadly. Mello didn't quite no what else to say. Near just tugged at a piece of hair, before he sat up again, eyes wide.

"What about what _you_ said in the cave. Mihael. That's your real name?" Near asked, crossing his arms. 

"Yeah," Mello grumbled, turning away. He hadn’t expected Near to remember that. "It's not terrible, I just didn't like going by it. I was an orphan, actually. Hotheaded kid, stupid as hell. I didn’t want to be know as Mihael the orphan so I made a new name for myself. " 

"I think it's a nice nickname," Near hummed. "I like Mihael too, though." 

"You're one of the few to know," Mello said. 

"I'm honored.” 

"You can't tell anyone though. It'd ruin my reputation if anyone found out." 

"I would never." 

"I appreciate that." Mello glanced over at the fire. "Shit, I'll go get more wood." 

Mello was a bit nervous about leaving Near there by himself, but he was sure that he'd be fine. After all, there wasn't really anything around.

* * *

Near sat by himself, twirling his hair. He was happy that Mello hadn't seemed to put out by his hair. Furthermore, he was happy Mello trusted him enough to tell him his real name. 

He didn't want to think about what would happen once they parted ways. He’d never had a friend before and he liked Mello a lot. 

"There you are, flower." 

Near jumped and whirled around, only to see Mother standing in the shadows. She didn't seem to cross, which Near found odd considering he’d run away. Still Near ran up to her and hugged her. He had missed her, despite the fun he was having away from her. She kissed the top of his head warmly.

"Mother? What are you doing here?" 

She sighed and took a step back, a familiar gesture to Near. So, she was cross with him. Near noticed that she had Mello's satchel in her hand. _She must've found it and known I'd gone with him._

"It's time to come home. You've played your little game long enough." Mother’s tone was outwardly angry, but Near recognized the steel underneath the warmth. She was _pissed_ , but Near had already made it this far. He wasn’t going to stop now.

"No. I'll come home after I've seen the lights." 

"You don't need to see them. You don't need to run around with that lowlife thief either."

"He's not lowlife," Near said slowly. "He's my friend." Mother laughed, as if it were an inside joke, but her smile faded when she realized he was serious. 

"Your friend? How naive,” she crowed back. "Darling, he's just using you for this. Go on, give it to him. See how fast he leaves you." 

"I will give it back," Near said, crossing his arms. "You'll see that he's not bad." 

"Of course, because you know best, don't you, dear?" She threw the satchel at his feet and walked off. "Don't come crying when he goes. You’ll see who knows best then.”

Near picked up the satchel and watched her disappear into the night. He opened it a little and peeked in to see the crown. 

"So, is there any other weird magical stuff I should know about?" Mello called out. Near hid the satchel behind his back and turned to Mello. Mello frowned and looked back at him, concerned. 

"Everything okay?" 

"Everything's fine," Near reassured. "We should get some rest, before tomorrow." 

"Oh, yeah." 

Near hid the satchel amongst some bushes so Mello couldn't see it. He was waiting to give it to him, but he was sure that Mello would still stay with him. Surely after all that had happened, all they’d been through together, Mello wouldn’t just abandon him.

At least, that's what he told himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :/


	6. Chapter 6

Near woke up to shrill yelling. Two voices shouted nonsense at each other, waking Near. He shot up, looking around for danger. 

Near blinked in surprise when he saw Mello just shouting at a redheaded man, who was advancing on him with a sword. 

"Fuck off, you asshole," Mello barked. 

"You're under arrest," the other man said back casually, as if he didn’t really believe his own words. "I'm taking you into custody." 

"Over my cold dead body." Mello swung his fist towards the man, who stumbled back in surprise. 

"If that's what it takes," the redhead responded. He took a swing at Mello in return but missed.

"Can you stop that?" Near asked, stepping smoothly between them. The man looked down at him in surprise. "You can't arrest him." 

"I don't know who you think you're talking to, but I can arrest you too if you get in my way." The man didn't sound very sure of himself though. In fact, he'd lowered his sword when Near asked him to stop. 

"It's a very important day for me," Near said, mustering up a look as innocent as he could. "It's my birthday, and he's taking me to see the lights. Can't you just wait a day?" 

The man blinked at him, almost looking sympathetic. Near had often used this trick on his mother, to convince her to give him what he wanted. Enough pleading and a small enough request made it hard for people to say no, apparently. 

"Please?" Near tipped his head and took a step closer. "I promise you two can fight all you want tomorrow." 

A few tense second ticked by and Near almost thought that he wouldn’t fall for it, but then the man let out a sigh and sheathed his sword in defeat. "I suppose it can wait." 

"Thank you," Near said. 

"Are you sure that you don't have, like, magical convincing powers?" Mello whispered into his ear. 

"No, I think I'm just nicer than you are," Near muttered back. 

"I'm staying with you though. To make sure he doesn't steal anything." 

"Then take off your armor. People are gonna know who am I if I'm walking around with a fucking royal guard." 

"I'm not taking it off." 

"It would be a good idea if you did," Near piped up. "Please? Mello meant to ask nicely." Near elbowed Mello slightly. Acting like an ass wasn't going to make the guard any more friendlier. 

He grumbled, but did as Near asked. Mello gave him a scathing look, crossing his arms and muttering. 

"My name is Near, by the way."

"Matt," the man grunted. "You better not tell anyone I'm doing this. It's literally everything I should be against as a guard." 

Near was certain that what he'd just said was a lie. There was no reason for him to do it, really. Near had a feeling that Matt was just acting tough, probably because of Mello, who'd make fun of him otherwise. 

"I won't. I appreciate you doing it, Matt." 

"We should head out," Mello said, coming back over. "The lanterns don't go out until tonight, but I figure that we'll explore the kingdom. Since you're going back after." 

Near didn’t really want to think about going back. Even though he was safer there, he was happy out here. He’d never felt so free before in his life and he didn’t want it to end. 

“It’ll be busy at least. Keep us hidden, for the most part,” Matt grumbled. Mello just nodded, beginning to head towards the kingdom. 

“Put this in your bag please,” Near said, digging out Mello’s satchel and pushing it into Matt’s hands. “Mello can’t know I have it.” 

Matt took it and put it in his bag without question. Near whispered a quick thank you before running ahead to catch up with Mello. 

“I hope you know I’m only tolerating this because of you,” Mello said, disgruntled. 

“It’s my birthday,” Near reminded him. 

“I know.” Mello softened a bit, their hands brushing against each other as they walked along. “Happy birthday, by the way.” 

“Thank you,” Near said quietly.

Matt finally caught up to them and stayed on Near’s left, away from Mello as much as he could. Near looked between them, wondering how bad today was going to be with the two of them together.

Well, he still intended on having the best birthday he could.

* * *

Mello was less than happy to have a guard hovering down their backs, but Near didn’t seem bothered by Matt at all. 

He ran around the kingdom with a sort of energy that Mello didn’t think that he was capable of before now. Luckily, they’d found some people that were willing to braid Near’s hair, at the price of them being able to put flowers in it too. Near didn’t seem fond of the flowers, but allowed it anyway. 

The people in the town square were delighted to have him draw on the sidewalks. Mello had brought him there because he’d seen Near’s art in the tower and knew he’d want to do it. He didn’t know if Near would ever have the chance to do something like it again. 

A group of kids gathered around Near, watching him draw with rapt attention. Mello and Matt sat on the edges of the square, trying to stay hidden from guards but close enough to keep an eye on Near.

“You two seem awfully close,” Matt said awkwardly, his hands shoved in his pockets. “I was under the assumption you worked alone.” 

“I do work alone. Does he look like a fucking criminal to you?” Matt frowned at him but didn’t respond. They both silently looked on at the people celebrating and bustling about the square. 

“There was a tower out in the woods,” Mello said, having enough with the awkward silence. “He’s been living in it for eighteen years. Never gone out at all and his crazy mom wouldn’t let him out even once, just for his birthday. He hid my satchel with the crown so I’d take him.” 

“So this is all a deal between you two?” Matt gestured between him and Near. “It sure doesn’t seem like that.” 

“He’s grown on me.”

“Quite a bit.” 

Mello scowled at Matt, turning towards him. Matt just looked back at him, confused.

“What? I don’t know you that well, but you seem awfully protective over this guy, considering how long you’ve known each other.” 

Well, he couldn’t argue with that. He didn’t want Matt to know how right he was, so he just turned back to watching Near. 

Still, he could feel practically feel the smugness radiating off of Matt. 

After having his fill of drawing, they continued to run around the kingdom to explore. Near slipped through the crowds easily, trying to see everything. They tried to show him the best parts of the kingdom, the grand library, the grand offerings in front of the mural of the royals. Near had stared at the mural with some sort of mix of confusion and reverence, but Mello didn’t blink an eye. Their story was sad, almost unreal. Everyone had felt that way at some point. 

They moved on to the vendors after. Mello paid for the food for the most part, but snuck a few treats into his pockets when no one was looking. He bought Near a little flag too, to take home as a souvenir. 

He noticed Matt’s disapproving looks whenever he thought Mello stole, but acted innocent. The last thing he needed was to be arrested before tonight. 

Near had also tried dancing with the crowds, but wasn’t very good at it. It mostly resulted in him and Mello stumbling around, laughing as they tripped over each other. Mello had also pushed Matt into the crowd to dance, forcing him to join in too. He was far better and found himself his own partner, some pigtailed girl that actually knew how to dance.

When the sun began to set, they all made their way out to the docks. Mello had been out on the water several times for the lighting of the lanterns and knew it was the best place to be for it. 

Mello started to untie the boat from the deck, looking at Matt expectantly. 

“Are you gonna get in?” 

“Nah,” Matt said, sitting on the edge of the dock and swinging his legs. “Don’t want to ruin the mood for you guys.” 

“Fuck off,” Mello hissed. 

“I’m being serious.” Matt nodded towards Near, who was already leaning over the side of their boat. “Go get him, tiger.” 

Mello pushed off from the dock, but not before splashing Matt with some water. Matt just scoffed and flipped him off. 

“How much longer until the lanterns?” Near asked, brushing his fingers against the water. 

“Not too long now,” Mello said. “Look up there, you can see the King.” 

He wasn’t very visible, but they could make out the man’s figure, standing out on the palace’s grand balcony. 

“What about the Queen?”

“She died a few years after the prince went missing,” Mello said. “The King does it alone now.” 

Near stared up at the balcony with rapt attention, watching as the lone lantern up there was lit. Mello was more focused on making sure that Near didn’t fall out of the boat. 

The King lifted up the lantern and thousands of more lit up after, all throughout the kingdom. Thousands of them, rising up slowly, dancing in the sky. Mello lit up theirs too. 

“Near.” 

Near looked back at him, eyes bright. He sat back down in his seat properly and held his side of the lantern. Both of them lifted it up, letting it float up into the air. Near sat there, watching with what Mello could only describe as pure wonder. 

“Is it everything you dreamed of?” Mello asked, glancing around. Years of attending the ceremony dulled some of the excitement, but the sight of softly glowing lanterns reflecting against the lake still tugged at his heart. 

“Yes,” Near said softly. Mello was surprised when Near leaned over and hugged him, his face buried in Mello’s neck. “Thank you.” 

“Don’t get all sentimental with me yet, I still have to get you home safe,” Mello chuckled, hugging back. Near released him to reach over the side of the boat and lift a lantern that had gotten a little too low. 

Near’s eyes were lit up in a way that Mello hadn’t seen before. He hadn’t known him for that long, but it was certainly a far cry from what he’d come to know. Mello thought that he looked awfully good, the soft light from the lanterns on him and with his hair braided like that. 

“I have a gift for you,” Near said, taking out a bag from behind his seat. Mello hadn’t even seen him put it in. “It’s your satchel.” 

Mello took it and dropped it on the floor of the boat. 

“I don’t care about the satchel, Near.” Near just gave him a small, subtle smile and turned back to the lanterns. 

They stayed there for a while, basking in the glow of the lanterns and the stillness of the water. Near turned to him and gave him a soft smile, leaning towards him a bit. Mello returned it and began to lean forward too, realizing what he really wanted-

There was a glow in the distance, not from the lanterns but from a light on the shore. Mello could just barely make out the outline of Higuchi’s two minions, the one he’d robbed the crown of.

“Hold on,” Mello said, looking over Near’s shoulder. Near looked behind him, confused, but the two henchmen had already disappeared. Mello just began to row closer to shore. Once they got there, he snagged the satchel and began to run off. “I’ll be right back, okay?” 

He ran off to where the two men were waiting. Neither of them looked particularly happy to see them and Mello felt the same. He wished the two of them would have drowned at the dam, to be honest. 

“Take the crown,” Mello said, holding out the satchel. “I’m sorry I took it, but you can have it and we can call it fair.” The men laughed at him cruelly, drawing their weapons. 

“Sorry, Keehl,” one of them said, advancing towards him. “We don’t want it anymore. We want the boy with the magic hair.” 

Mello took a step back, getting ready to fight. He was outnumbered and had every disadvantage, but he’d fight to the death for Near.

* * *

The place they’d docked on shore was foggy and dark, far enough away from the lanterns that Near was sort of worried. It was even worse when he heard fighting in the distance. 

Near shouted out, but there was no response.

“Mello?” he called, beginning to really get nervous now. He got out of the boat, stumbling onto the shore. “Mello?” 

He ran towards the direction where Mello had gone, almost tripping over some tree roots. There was no one around. 

“Mello!”

No answer.

He kept going forward, seeing a figure through the fog and darkness.

Instead of Mello, he found Mother, standing over two unconscious bodies. 

“Oh, my darling, there you are,” she cried, running over to Near. “Come on quickly, we have to leave here.” 

“No, Mello-” 

“Is right there,” Mother said, pointing out towards the lake. 

Through the fog, Near could see Mello standing at the helm of a boat, the satchel in hand. “I told you, flower, he’s a thief. He was leaving you for these two to capture.” 

Near took a step back, tears pricking at his eyes. He’d really been stupid enough to believe that this was real, that Mello actually liked him. He should have listened to Mother and just stayed home. 

“It’s alright,” Mother said soothingly, bringing him in for a hug and smoothing his hair. “I’m here now. Let’s go home.” 

Near nodded and walked off, looking back at Mello once more before he left.

* * *

Mello woke up, confused, tugging at the bonds around his wrists. He was tied to the helm of the boat, which was slowly drifting right for the prison. The guards had already spotted him though and were just waiting for him to get close enough. 

They boarded calmly, untying him only to put him in shackles and dragging him along towards the prison. 

“Please, no, there’s-“

“Shut up,” one of the guards said. Mello didn’t listen, trying to get them to listen. The guards ignored him. 

Light met them at the entrance of the prison, smiling darkly at Mello. 

“I can’t wait to watch you hang, Keehl.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a two day “spring break” so I’m starting it by updating this 😅 sorry for the delay again


End file.
